1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing system, an image forming apparatus, a management method, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been proposed an image forming apparatus that stores configuration data in a storage unit. The configuration data is setting information (operation setting information) for switching the operation of the image forming apparatus. Since configuration data is stored in the storage unit provided in each of the image forming apparatuses, the setting changes in configuration data need to be made by the number of image forming apparatuses in order to change configuration data for all of image forming apparatuses.
For saving the time and required for changing the settings of configuration data by the number of image forming apparatuses, there has been proposed a technology in which the settings of configuration data for a plurality of image forming apparatuses are made at one time by a certain information processing apparatus. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-130838 discloses an image forming system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses, to which the initial setting operation has been performed, downloads initial system setting information from a server and reflects the downloaded initial system setting information to the initial setting content.
Also, it is assumed that configuration data is handed over when the image forming apparatus is replaced. When configuration data of the image forming apparatus before being replaced is handed over to the image forming apparatus after being replaced, for example, configuration data set is collectively reflected on the image forming apparatus after being replaced in. However, depending on a changed content of a hardware or software configuration status of the device, configuration data of the image forming apparatus before being replaced may not be directly handed over to the image forming apparatus after being replaced.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-099362 discloses a setting data transmission program that compares new setting data to be set in a device of target with predetermined setting data, to thereby display the comparison result, and transmits new setting data to the device of target in response to an instruction from a user.
There is a case in which direct handover to image forming apparatus after being replaced is not appropriate with respect to configuration data that is subject to the restriction of a value because a model of the image forming apparatus or a hardware option provided with the image forming apparatus affect configuration data. However, the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-130838 is employed, configuration data is handed over regardless of the changed content of device configuration information of the image forming apparatus as a result of replacement. Also, when the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-099362 is applied, configuration data before being replaced is compared with configuration data after being replaced, a comparison result is displayed in a screen, and handover of configuration data is performed depending on an instruction by a user that saw the screen. However, this handover processing is inefficient as well as burden to the user.